Compare towns
Devens vs Windham vs Ayer vs Russell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Windham has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
Ayer has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Russell has the most affordable homes ($303k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Devens | Windham | Ayer | Russell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723 |
16,038Highest |
8,645 |
1,197Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.7±7.6 23% above U.S. |
| Devens and Russell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Russell and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63k 134% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$108,750±$24k 35% above U.S. |
| Windham and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k 67% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$303,300±$32kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,013±$330Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 78% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$5,104 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.6%±20.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #113 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Windham School District | Ayer Shirley School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.5Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.